I Can Love You
by DCisforlovers
Summary: Just a quick take on Harm and Mac. Hope you enjoy!


I CAN LOVE YOU

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it.

Timeline: Could fit into either Season 9 or Season 10.

Pre-Story: Harm and Mac had hit some turbulence right lately. They couldn't seem to connect, on anything. For the past week, Mac hasn't been speaking to Harm very much. Of course, he notices, but doesn't think anything of. He just assumes she would tell him if something was wrong. They had planned--months back--to go to a concert together, but she didn't show up. He got worried about her, and he goes to her apartment to check in on her...

Harm knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He took his phone out to call her apartment, but then decided against it. Then he dug into his pocket for his keys, and he searched until he found his key to her apartment. As he opened the door, he started calling for her, "Mac, where are you?"

When there was no answer he continued on throughout the apartment. He walked into her bedroom and saw the light coming from under the bathroom door. He cautiously opened the door and was astonished at the sight he took in: Mac was in the tub covered in bubbles. It all took him back to another time and to what seemed like another world, Paraguay. If she only knew how many times he had dreamed about that moment. She looked up at him, but did not seemed as stunned to see him watching her as he was to see her in that predicament again. He was unable to move, much less to speak.

"What do you want, Harm?"

By now, he was squirming and unable to form coherent thoughts or sentences. "Uh..Um..Didn't you hear me knocking?"

"Yea, I thought maybe you would just go away. Isn't that typically what people do when no one comes to the door?"

"Yea…uh..sorry. I will just wait outside for you to…um.."

She interrupted him, "No. Just go home!"

Harm was looking around and trying his best not to focus on the sight before him. She looked so beautiful; he could feel all of his senses working in overtime to take in every part of this moment, and her. Although it took him longer than normal to realize it, she was obviously furious about something. She had that glare in her eye that she gets from time to time. And, he knew—from experience—that "the look" was normally directed towards him. As a matter of fact, he had never seen her give it to anyone else. Harm had seen it after their first case, after Mac found out about the whole Singer fiasco, and in a hotel room in Paraguay. She definitely knew how to get her point across, but he certainly didn't know what to do get out of her crosshairs.

This time, knowing that she was angry gave him a courage that he didn't know he possessed. He walked closer to her and confidently said, "You know that you can't get rid of me that easy. Now, what's wrong?"

"Leave!"

"No. I will not leave and neither can you!"

"Would you like to put money on that?"

With those words, she stood up and reached for her towel. He didn't know what to do. Part of him was hypnotized, but the other felt like he should run for cover. She wrapped the towel around herself tightly, and just stood there looking deep into those blue eyes of his. He affected her more than she cared to admit. She moved in close to him and said, "Well?"

He picked his hands up to touch her bare skin, but quickly decided against it. He knew that one touch would send him over the edge, but all he did was infuriate her even further.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhh…….Just get out! Now!"

"Why? What did I do?" he asked with true concern in his eyes.

"Nothing!" she shouted.

"Then, what's the problem?"

"That is the problem, Harm!" She really surprised herself when the words came out, but as usual she could not pull them back. She refused to look up at him because the tears were filling her eyes, much to her dismay.

"What did you say," she kept walking out of the bathroom, but he followed her intrigued by her reply, "Mac, talk to me!" He was shouting, but he didn't care. "What did you just say?"

"Harm," she was fighting the weariness that was evident in her voice, "Please, just leave. I don't…..I can't have this conversation. "

"But we're going to! Right now."

The anger sprung up from deep within him. It was as if all of the pent up feelings were released. He knew that he was talking to her like a child, but that is exactly what she was acting like. For some reason his directness and probably his visible anger caught her off guard. She sat on the edge of the bed—towel still fixed around her—and listened intently.

"Mac, damn it! Where the hell do you get off acting like this? You have been putting on some sort of scene all week. I asked you time and time again, 'What's wrong.' Then I come here tonight, and all you can to is to tell me to leave. But, you expect me to what: React, when you flaunt yourself in front of me?"

"Flaunt? I am grasping for straws here! I wasn't looking for some big automatic change. Even I am not a match for the defenses of the unconquerable 'Harmon Rabb Jr.'. I need a sign. Something to tell me what to do next."

"What are you talking about? How does that tell you what to do next?"

"Well, it doesn't matter. I know now. I was right when I said 'never!' How could you do this to me?"

"What? You're losing me here, Mackenzie. What did I do now?"

"You have kept me holding on for all these years! You know if I was any other woman on the face of the planet, we wouldn't be having this talk right now. You would be tangled up with her in that bathroom! But me? No!"

"You are exactly right! You're not anyone else. You're you, and yea that make you a lot different! But, please tell me you're not made because I didn't take advantage of you!"

"Take advantage of me? I am a grown woman! I was offering you...me! For the second time, I might add. Do you think that I act like this, wait this long, or make a fool of myself like this for everyone? I'm so stupid to have ever thought that you could ever want me!"

"Whoa! So that is what this is about: Me wanting you?"

She just looked up at him with tears of anger and disparity in her eyes.

He continued as he knelt in front of her, "Mac, do you sincerely not know what you do to me?"

When she didn't answer, Harm got up and walked out of the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" she asked with hurt in her voice.

"I don't know, but I can't stay here any longer."

He walked out of her apartment, but he didn't make it more than five feet from her door. He leaned against the wall and sank down to the floor. Harm took a few deep breaths and tried his best to compose himself. After what seemed like forever to Mac—who was dressed in sweats andhis 'Navy' tee by now—Harm knocked on the door. She gradually made it to the door, not knowing what to expect. When she opened the door, he bolted in and swept her into his arms. As she protested, he carried her over to the kitchen and sat her on the counter. He took one look at her and kissed her until her head was spinning. She relaxed into his arms and let go of all the anger and helplessness that had overtaken her. His hands wondered up and down her back, along her sides, and through her hair. Even though the night had been filled with torment, his kiss was gentle and filled with all of the love that he felt for her. She held on to him tightly, not wanting to break this perfect moment. When they parted, they both were left wanting more, but there were things that need to be said.

Breathlessly she started, "Harm, I'm…."but she was cut short by his words.

"It has never been about wanting you. It is about loving you. But how can I love you, when you won't let me?"

With his words came her tears. He wiped her tears away and gave her a simple, yet lingering kiss on her tear-stained lips.

With her hands cupping his face, she pleaded with him, "I want you to love me. I just didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry for this week, and for the way I acted tonight. I was desperate. I've run out of options with you, but I couldn't just let you go without a fight."

"Mac, I am different with you. I want so much more with you than either of us have ever had. I will admit I don't always know how to express myself with you, but I'm going to try to do better. If you want me to."

"All I ask it that I know where we stand, but I know what I want more than anything."

"What?"

"You. I won't ask if you want me, but do you love me?"

"I can love you, if you let me."

They sealed their fate with another kiss, but this one—only broken to whisper 'I love you's'—lasted well into the night, and led to much more than either of them had ever dreamed.


End file.
